Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Participates in the 61st Anniversary Celebration of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program
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24 February 2025
"Al-Mashat": We look forward to exploring new horizons of partnership with India to exchange the best experiences and practices and benefit from the competitive advantages of both countries.
Egypt is keen to strengthen South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation to accelerate progress towards the sustainable development goals.
More than 1,500 government officials have benefited from specialized training programs within the ITEC program in fields such as technology, entrepreneurship, management, and more.
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic
Development, and International Cooperation, participated in the celebration
organized by the Indian Embassy in Cairo, marking the 61st anniversary of the
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program.
In H.E.’s speech, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat expressed her pride in
the 61 years of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program.
The Minister highlighted that the program is a cornerstone in strengthening
bilateral relations between Egypt and India, and it actively contributes to
transferring technical expertise and advanced knowledge from India to Egypt and
many other developing countries.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized that the partnership between
Egypt and India has witnessed significant development, covering numerous
fields, reflecting the alignment and harmony between the two countries'
visions. She confirmed that both Egypt and India have always supported economic
cooperation among the global South, believing that integration and collaboration
are the way to achieve sustainable development and shared prosperity.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat noted that Egypt's commitment to
strengthening South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation stems from a
firm belief that countries with similar economic and social conditions can
achieve tangible progress through the exchange of experiences and best
practices that have proven successful in their local contexts.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also affirmed Egypt's dedication to
enhancing cooperation with India across various fields, based on a long history
of friendly relations extending over seven decades.
The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and
International Cooperation confirmed that human capital development is a key
focus of the strategic partnership with India. She mentioned Egypt's belief in
the importance of capacity building and enhancing knowledge exchange activities
to ensure that personnel are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to
address contemporary challenges.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat stated that the ITEC program plays a
pivotal role in enhancing cooperation among developing countries, not only
through its extensive reach, encompassing 162 partner countries, but also
through providing innovative forms of technical cooperation in various fields.
As the national coordinator for the program in Egypt, H.E.
Minister Al-Mashat reviewed the efforts of the Ministry of Planning, Economic
Development, and International Cooperation in collaboration with relevant
authorities to ensure that national priorities align with the program's
objectives. These efforts have resulted in an increase in the number of
training opportunities granted to Egypt from 40 to 200 annually, enabling over
1,500 Egyptian government officials to receive specialized training in diverse
areas, including information technology, small and medium enterprises,
entrepreneurship, public administration, auditing and accounting, rural
development, parliamentary affairs, healthcare, renewable energy, and more.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat expressed Egypt's interest in exploring
new horizons for cooperation with India to exchange best practices and policies
and benefit from the competitive advantages of both countries in various
fields. This includes artificial intelligence applications, programming, supporting
startups, enhancing public health, manufacturing locomotives, combating
poverty, and addressing climate change.
H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also reiterated Egypt’s belief that strengthening cooperation in these areas will contribute to achieving sustainable development. To realize these goals, the ministry is working on designing tailored capacity-building programs and enhancing technical cooperation between research and educational institutions in both countries, including the National Planning Institute, the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, and their counterparts in India. This aims to strengthen the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation program and expand its scope to include new areas that address shared developmental needs.